Guest Author - Nikki Phipps

The genus Crocosmia consists of about eight or nine species, most being native to South Africa with another occurring in Madagascar. Crocosmia is largely found in temperate and subtropical climates, with many growing in grasslands. The name is derived from the Greek words krokos (saffron) and osme (smell), referring to the saffron-like scent when the dried flowers are dipped in water. Crocosmias are commonly known in the U.S. as Copper tips or Falling stars and as Montbretia in Britain.

Crocosmias are produced from corms that should be planted approximately 3 inches in the ground during spring and dug back up in the fall for cool, dry storage indoors; however, the corms can survive mild winters in the ground. Before planting, remove the offsets from the base of the main corm. These plants prefer sunny areas but can tolerate a wide range of soils. Crocosmia produces several flowers on spiked stems with sword-shaped leaves. There are both small-flowering and large-flowering varieties. Flowers appear in mid to late summer and range in color from yellow to orange or red and are similar in appearance to freesia flowers. The vivid colors produced by a large clump of crocosmia will enliven dull areas of the garden. Crocosmia is good for planting in masses or in a mixed perennial border where it can easily become an eye-catching focal point. This plant is also commonly grown as a cut flower. If not controlled, however, some crocosmia species might become invasive in the flowerbed. If your crocosmia is becoming crowded and failing to bloom, it may need dividing. Lift the clump, divide the offsets, and simply replant elsewhere. The crocosmiiflora species is prone to running rampant and requires yearly division. Crocosmia species can also be propagated through division in spring.

C. masonorum is a late summer-flowering species with bright vermilion-red blooms above dark green foliage. This species thrives well in coastal gardens. C. 'Lucifer' has bright green leaves and arching spikes of tomato-red flowers in summer. Place this species at the edge of a shrub border or near water. This species is also one of the most widely grown cultivars in the U.S. and considered the hardiest as well. C. crocosmiiflora gives way to spikes of funnel-shaped, apricot-yellow flowers in mid-summer with bronze-green strap-like foliage. This species makes an excellent border plant or cut flower, reaching anywhere from 3-4 feet tall. One species, C. fucata, is restricted to a single mountain range in Namaqualand, a Northern Cape province of South Africa. The species C. aurea prefers moist habitats along stream banks and forest margins. This species derived its name from the Latin word ‘aurea’ meaning golden, which refers to the flowers which are bright golden-orange. C. paniculata features deep orange blooms and is a taller crocosmia species, reaching up to 5 or 6 feet.